Open Mic Benefit 2: Conquer Stage Fright
Ah, the dreaded stage fright – the butterflies in your stomach, the shaky hands, and the racing heart. In an increasingly self expressive world dominated by influencers and colorfully expressed opinions, the world can appear to be a hostile place for those who are shy or introverted.
No one believes me when I share with them that I’m not actually, for the most part, an extrovert (even my own mother doesn’t believe it), but see me at the end of the day after meeting with 14-18 students with little to no downtime. I’m no fun, at all. I need quiet time with my thoughts, to work on my projects, to practice music. I love all of my students dearly, but I’m a shell of myself without quiet time for reading, study, or simply time away from people.
It’s taken me quite a number of years and attempts to share my creative side in front of an audience to be as comfortable as I am in front of a crowd. To be completely honest, taking up a physically demanding practice helped me to overcome stage fright – along with the experience of getting on stage.
Your body sometimes does some whacky things while you’re on stage – heart racing, palms sweating, you forget how breathing words – so taking up high pressure physical practices helps you to keep your calm center while you’re on stage.
The pressure of doing a grappling martial art (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu), along with learning to be aware of breath control through hot yoga and regular yoga, has helped me to become aware of what my body does with the pressure of being on stage and all eyes being on you.
You, too, can overcome this fright with practice, and open mics can be a metaphorical friendly dragon that helps you conquer your fears. With each performance, your confidence grows, your jitters diminish, and you emerge as a true stage warrior!
Stay tuned for Part 3!